for all purposes, except those of social meeting, and friendly recognition, masonry is to him a sealed book.

But, if he has ever felt a desire to seek and cultivate the internal philosophy of masonry, let him advance in those rarely trodden paths; the labour of such a pursuit is itself refreshment, and the reward great. Fresh flowers bloom at every step; and the prospect on every side is so filled with beauty and enchantment, that, ravished at the sight, he will rush on with enthusiasm from fact to fact, and from truth to truth, until the whole science of masonry lies before him invested with a new form and sublimity.

ESQUIRE. A grade or rank in the degree of Knights Templars, according to the English organization. See Knight Templar..

ESSENES. A sect among the Jews, supposed by masonic writers to have been the descendants of the Freemasons of the Temple, and through whom the order was propagated to modern times. See the article "Antiquity of Masonry," in this work. The real origin of the Essenes has been a subject of much dispute among profane writers; but there is certainly a remarkable coincidence in many of their doctrines and ceremonies with those professed by the Freemasons. They were divided into two classes, speculatives and operatives; the former devoting themselves to a life of contemplation, and the latter daily engaging in the practice of some handicraft. The proceeds of their labour were, however, deposited in one general stock; for they religiously observed a community of goods. They secluded themselves from the rest of the world, and were completely esoteric in their doctrines, which were also of a symbolic character. They admitted no women into their order; abolished all distinctions of rank, "meeting on the level," and giving the precedence only to virtue. Charity was bestowed on their indigent brethren, and, as a means of recognition, they adopted signs and other modes

similar to those of the Freemasons. Their order was divided into three degrees. When a candidate applied for admission, his character was scrutinized with the greatest severity. He was then presented with a girdle, a hatchet, and a white garment. Being thus admitted to the first degree, he remained in a state of probation for one year; during which time, although he lived according their customs, he was not admitted to their meetings. At the termination of this period, if found worthy, he was advanced to the second degree, and was made a partaker of the waters of purification. But he was not yet permitted to live among them, but after enduring another probation of two years duration, he was at length admitted to the third degree, and united in full fellowship with them. On this occasion, he took a solemn oath, the principal heads of which, according to Josephus,* were as follows: To exercise piety toward God, and justice toward men; to hate the wicked and assist the good; to show fidelity to all men, obedience to those in authority, and kindness to those below him; to be a lover of truth, and a reprover of falsehood; to keep his hands clear from theft, and his soul from unlawful gains; to conceal nothing from his own sect, nor to discover any of their doctrines to others; to communicate their doctrines, in no otherwise than he had received them, himself; and lastly to preserve the books belonging to the sect, and the names of the angels in which he shall be instructed. Philo, of Alexandria, who, in two books written expressly on the subject of the Essenses, has given a copious account of their doctrines and manners, says, that when they were listening to the secret instructions of their chiefs, they stood with "the right hand on the breast a little below the chin, and the left hand placed along the side." A similar position is attributed by Macrobius to Venus, when deploring the death of Adonis, in those rites which were celebrated at Tyre, the birth-place of Hiram the Builder.

Joseph. Bell. Jud. II. viii.

EUNUCH. No eunuch can be initiated as a Mason. The contempt in which these unfortunate beings are held by the rest of their fellow-creatures, unfits them for the close union of brotherly love which masonry inculcates; and the vicious and malignant disposition, which all experience teaches us is the characteristic of this isolated race, derived doubtless from their feeling of isolation, debars them from entrance into a society whose foundation is laid in religion and morality. The prohibition derives support, also, from the authority of Scripture. By the Jewish law, (Deut. xxiii. 1,) eunuchs are forbidden "to enter into the congregation of the Lord."

EXALTED. A candidate is said to be exalted, when he receives the degree of Holy Royal Arch, the seventh in York masonry, Exalted means elevated or lifted up, and is applicable both to a peculiar ceremony of the degree, and to the fact that this degree, in the rite in which it is practised, constitutes the summit of ancient masonry.

EXAMINATION. The due examination of strangers who claim the right of visit, should be entrusted only to the most skilful and prudent brethren of the lodge. And the examining committee should never forget, that no man applying for admission is to be considered as a Mason, however strong may be his recommendations, until by undeniable evidence he has proved himself to be such.

All the necessary forms and antecedent cautions should be observed. Enquiries should be made as to the time and place. of initiation, as a preliminary step, the Tiler's O B, of course, never being omitted. Then remember the good old rule of "commencing at the beginning." Let every thing proceed in regular course, not varying in the slightest degree from the order in which it is to be supposed that the information sought was originally received. Whatever be the suspicions of imposture, let no expression of those suspicions be made until the final de

cree for rejection is uttered. And let that decree be uttered in general terms, such as, "I am not satisfied," or "I do not recognize you," and not in more specific language, such as “You did not answer this enquiry," or "You are ignorant on that point." The candidate for examination is only entitled to know that he has not complied generally with the requisitions of his examiner. To descend to particulars is always improper and and often dangerous. Above all, never ask what the lawyers call "leading questions," which include in themselves the answers, nor in any manner aid the memory or prompt the forgetfulness of the party examined, by the slightest hints. If he has it in him it will come out without assistance, and if he has it not, he is clearly entitled to no aid. The Mason who is so unmindful of his obligations as to have forgotten the instructions he has received, must pay the penalty of his carelessness, and be deprived of his contemplated visit to that society, whose secret modes of recognition he has so little valued as not to have treasured them in his memory.

Lastly, never should an unjustifiable delicacy weaken the rigor of these rules. Remember, that for the wisest and most evident reasons, the merciful maxim of the law, which says that it is better that ninety-nine guilty men should escape, than that one innocent man should be punished, is with us reversed, and that in masonry it is better that ninety and nine true men should be turned away from the door of a lodge, than that one cowan should be admitted.

EXCLUSION. See Visit, Right of.

EXOTERIC. See Esoteric.

EXPULSION. Expulsion is the highest masonic penalty that can be imposed by a lodge, upon any of its delinquent memWe shall, therefore, give it more than a passing notice,

and treat, 1st, of its effects; 2d, of the proper tribunal to impose it; 3d, of the persons who may be subject to it; and 4th, of the offences for which it may be inflicted.

1. Expulsion from a lodge deprives the party expelled of all the rights and privileges that he ever enjoyed, not only as a member of the particular lodge from which he has been ejected, but also of those which were inherent in him as a member of the fraternity at large. He is at once as completely divested of his masonic character, as though he had never been admitted, so far as regards his rights, while his duties and obligations remain as firm as ever, it being impossible for any human power to cancel them. He can no longer demand the aid of his brethren, nor require from them the performance of any of the duties to which he was formerly entitled, nor visit any lodge, nor unite in any of the public or private ceremonies of the order. He is considered as being without the pale, and it would be criminal in any brother, aware of his expulsion, even to hold communication with him on masonic subjects.

2. The only proper tribunal to impose this heavy punishment, is a Grand Lodge. A subordinate lodge tries its delinquent member, and if guilty declares him expelled. But the sentence is of no force until the Grand Lodge, under whose jurisdiction it is working, has confirmed it. And it is optional with the Grand Lodge to do so, or, as is frequently done, to reverse the decision and reinstate the brother. Some of the lodges in this country claim the right to expel independently of the action of the Grand Lodge, but the claim is not valid. The very fact that an expulsion is a penalty, affecting the general relations of the punished party with the whole fraternity, proves that its exercise never could with propriety be entrusted to a body so circumscribed in its authority as a subordinate lodge. Besides, the general practice of the fraternity is against it. The English Constitutions vest the power to expel exclusively in the Grand Lodge. "The subordinate lodge may suspend and report the case to the Grand